Eggplant Mushroom Meatballs

Eggplant-Mushroom Meatballs. Oh, yes! It’s possible. The Silver-Chic Chef and host of the Awesome Vegans Podcast and Video Series, Elysabeth Alfano makes Eggplant, Mushroom, Tempeh Meatballs!  They taste and hold together just like meatballs but are SO much better for you.

About 65 calories each if you substitute mushroom broth for the tiny bit of oil used to sauté the onions and mushroom, these have all the benefits of meatballs with none of the negatives. We all know that the trick to meat tasting good is the spices. This recipe is full of them!

Ingredients:

sliced 12 large mushrooms

2/3 slab of Lightlife Tempeh

salt/pepper, smokey salt to taste

1 tbsp cumin, 1 tbsp oregano, large pinch basil, large pinch dill, 6-8 leaves chopped mint, 1tbsp of  Mr. Spice House, 1tbsp paprika, 

4-5 roasted garlic cloves

sliced 3/4 sautéed onion (medium)

1 medium eggplant (1) 

4 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1.5-2  tbsp soy souce

6 leaves of mint, chopped.

2 crackers of multi-grain Wasa Crackers pmmeled into bread crumbs

Mushroom broth or olive oil for sauté-ing

1-2 dash of Fennel seeds optional. Do not crush these in the cuisnart.  Add in separately at the end if you wish.

Directions:

Bake whole eggplant on a tray at 400 for 30 minutes.  Take a head of garlice. Cut of tops with a scissors. Place in wrapped tinfoil and bake in oven at 350 for 45 minutes. Sautee mushrooms and onions in broth or oil.  Put in cuisinart. Crumble tempeh and add to cuisinart. Crush crackers and add to cuisinart. Add all other ingredients to Cusinart. When eggplant is baked and cooled, the skin will fall off. Add to cuisinart. Take out garlic. Let cool. Add to cuisinart.  Mix. 1-2 dash of Fennel seeds optional. Do not crush these in the cuisnart.  Add in separately at the end if you wish. Hand roll meatballs into 3 inch diameter balls. Place on tray with parchment paper. Bake at 375 for 35 minutes.  Take out and let cool. Add to spaghetti and tomato sauce or make a meatball sandwich!